This invention relates to a refrigerator shelf device, and, more particularly, to a tray for a refrigerator shelf for holding a beverage package having multiple individual beverage containers.
Beverages occupy precious space in a refrigerator. To conserve space, individual beverage containers are packaged in a carton so that individual beverage containers are stacked vertically to conserve shelf space. For consumer appeal and economy, cartons typically contain 12, 18, 20 or 24 individual beverage containers. The cartons rest on a side to make maximum use of shelf space. Unfortunately, the cartons lie flat on one side thereby losing benefit of gravity feed when only one row of containers remains to be dispensed. It is desirable to retain gravity feed to ensure that containers are easily dispensed.
Typically, popular upscale residential refrigerators have glass shelves wherein the glass is flat, without openings or ribs, so that there is no air circulation through the glass shelf or over the surface between the carton and shelf surface. Ventilation is essential to timely chill the beverage containers and to keep them chilled. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that it would be highly desirable to have a shelf device that not only ensures gravity feed but also facilitates ventilation of the beverage carton.
A full carton rests flat on the shelf and individual beverage containers gravity feed for removal one at a time. When only one row or layer of containers remains, the gravity feed is lost. As the containers are removed, the center of gravity shifts which may cause the carton to tip forward or move about on the shelf. Also, moisture on the shelf reduces friction between the carton and shelf increasing the tendency of the carton to move about on the shelf. It is desirable to maintain the carton in a fixed position on the shelf.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to the present invention, a tray for a refrigerator shelf has four sidewalls and a support panel. A front sidewall has a top portion and a bottom portion, and a rear sidewall has a top portion and a bottom portion with the rear sidewall spaced from the front sidewall. The bottom portion of the front sidewall is at a lower elevation than the top portion of the rear sidewall. A left sidewall has a top portion and a bottom portion, and a right sidewall has a top portion and a bottom portion. The right sidewall is spaced from the left sidewall. The bottom portions of the left and right sidewalls are at a lower elevation than the top portions of the left and right sidewalls. The support panel has front, rear, left and right edges with the front edge connected to the bottom portion of the front sidewall and with the rear edge connected to the top portion of the rear sidewall. The left edge is connected to the left sidewall and the right edge is connected to the right sidewall so that the support. panel slants downward from the rear sidewall towards the front sidewall.
Slanting the support panel towards the front sidewall ensures that a carton resting on the tray will have individual beverage containers inside the carton gravity feed toward the front sidewall for dispensing one at a time.
The left, right and front sidewalls define a retaining lip above the support panel which retains the carton on the tray. The left, right and rear sidewalls define a retaining lip below the support panel, which, when upturned, retains the carton on the tray. When the upper retaining lip and the lower retaining lip are of different width dimensions, different sizes of cartons are easily accommodated by a single tray.
The support panel defines a plurality of ventilation openings to provide for adequate ventilation. Also, the sidewalls have openings that provide effective ventilation when the tray rests on a glass shelf.
According to another aspect of the invention, a tray has a bottom panel with front, rear, left and right upstanding sidewalls. A plurality of support members each have their front ends connected to the bottom portion of the front sidewall and their rear ends connected to the top portion of the rear sidewall so that the support members slant downward from the rear sidewall towards the front sidewall. The bottom panel has openings to provide ventilation.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings